Gothic Tarot of Vampires

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 09 Apr 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Kittaine	09 Apr 2004
It's already too late for me to ask this since I already ordered this deck, but...is it worth getting? LOL! The images remind me of Anne Rice's vampires and Top Cow's The Darkness comic book!

Savoyali	09 Apr 2004
Hi Kittaine! I have it, and love the images, but haven't had any time to actually do anything with it yet. The reviews here on Aeclectic are very thorough, though, so I heartily recommend giving them a read :)

Osher	10 Apr 2004
I have this deck. I have just recieved it, so yet to read with it. I find the illustrations interesting, and nicely modern. However, I think it will be a more difficult deck than most to read with, from my scanning of the deck.

Centaur	13 Apr 2004
As a fan of dark decks, this one caught my eye. But there is 'something' about it which niggles at me. It strikes me as a little too visceral. Please take that with a pinch of salt though, as I am very fond of the Bosch which contains images such as coins dropping out of a beast's anus. LOL.

Dragons_Wing	13 Apr 2004
is the only way to get this in the us is to get it online? i've been lusting after it after the first time i saw it, but i'm leery of buying online even from amazon. :( i suck like that

dolphingirl	14 Apr 2004
I was a bit suprised when I first got this deck. I am a big vampire fan although not the Ann Rice books I do find myself buying just about any vampire inspired book on the market. This deck gave me quite a shock as it is much darker than most of the vampire books I like to read :). It is interresting to me when you ask about vampires you get two types. The Ann Rice scary kind and the more romantic look to them. Has anyone used this deck along with any vampire books? Personally I will be pulling this set out again when the next Laurel K Hamilton vampire book comes out. :)

Umbrae	14 Apr 2004
As many know, I love the deck. But I don’t use it for general readings with the public. For me, it’s a personal deck that for me, works for specific uses. Each time I use it, it just gets better. I enjoy the stark graphic novel art style. If you get the deck and don’t like it…keep it. Use it for those personal readings…tell you what…it grows on you.

Kittaine	14 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae As many know, I love the deck. But I don’t use it for general readings with the public. For me, it’s a personal deck that for me, works for specific uses. Each time I use it, it just gets better. I enjoy the stark graphic novel art style. If you get the deck and don’t like it…keep it. Use it for those personal readings…tell you what…it grows on you. Can you give me an idea what specific uses? Yeah, I've been thinking I probably won't be able to use this deck as much, especially when it comes to light-hearted or happy, mundane things. I think this deck is for the deeper, darker stuff. Like maybe for teasing out secrets, ulterior motives and hidden intentions.

Darla	14 Apr 2004
This deck is my absolute favourite. I loved it from the beginning and no other deck I know has this impact on me. The funny thing is that I didn't had to use it so it can grow on me, I just connected with it right from the start. I don't use it often though and as Umbrae I only use it for personal readings. Although it looks like a comic book it gives very deep readings. Love it })

Centaur	14 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Darla Although it looks like a comic book it gives very deep readings. I think that you have hit the nail on the head with the comic book comment. I think that is what I dislike about it. It just looks gaudy and too visceral for me.

SongDeva	18 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by dolphingirl Personally I will be pulling this set out again when the next Laurel K Hamilton vampire book comes out. :) Too funny! I just read the first one, and was itching to have this deck to do readings on the progression of the novel. I'm waiting for the next installment to get here, and grabbed the deck today A. because I'm so drawn to it and B. so I can do just that with the Laughing Corpse. :) I headed out to the Border's parking lot and opened it up. For two or three cards, I wondered if I'd be disappointed, but as I kept flipping through, I was so pleased. Yeesh! It's edgy and real (!) and speaks to me. It doesn't try to make the primal pretty. Love it!

tao51	18 Jul 2004
I have used this deck when motives and goals are place in question. These cards lend themselves to intuitive readings. There are cards that could draw meditation for long periods of time. This is one of my favorite decks.--Tao

dolphingirl	18 Jul 2004
I just had to post to say that there is a new Anita Blake short story in the paperback book called Cravings ISBN: 0515138150

SongDeva	19 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by dolphingirl I just had to post to say that there is a new Anita Blake short story in the paperback book called Cravings ISBN: 0515138150 Girl, please. I've already got a bid in on eBay. hehehehe I hear the other stories are great too. I just picked one up by...Kim Harris? Cute so far. This is a new predilection for me. **Topic Resumes**

dolphinprincess	27 Oct 2004
I have a new obsession with Anne Rice books... In the airport last week, I grabbed the paperback of Blood Canticle (of course, its always bright to start with the LAST book in a series (sarcasm :| ) but I got really into it... I just reserved Interview with the Vampire at the library (to start at the beginning) and want to read the Mayfair Witch series too... (but I digress).. This deck looks so dark to me and is very different from what I normally go for.. but its piquing my interest due to my newfound 'obsession' with these books.... How do you find it relates to vampires of this series (I saw Anne mentioned earlier in this thread)... Is it a working deck, or is it more of an art/theme deck? As much as I enjoy reading about vampires, I'm not sure I can handle all the blood in a daily reading.. but still interested...

SongDeva	27 Oct 2004
It's not a bloody, gory deck, although blood is there. At least in my opinion. Others have voiced opposing ones! For me its interesting to note what the blood symbolizes, what is blood to vampires, after all? I did a reading yesterday for myself that was very illuminating, and this was important. Anne Rice vampires...hmmmm. Vibe fits, though they seem less graphic? It fits fabulously with Laurell K. Hamilton. There's even a mafia feel to the relationship of the vampires among each other, respect, power, control, unstoppable urges, yearning yearning yearning, satiety, animal nature within a respectable exterior, trust, faith, the heart, angst. Whew! Someone mentioned it didn't look like a good reading deck, and I think that person needs to get a copy in his/her hot little hands. Songdeva opines that this deck is FABULOUS to read with. It truly stands out with its own flavor and vibe.

dolphinprincess	27 Oct 2004
Thank you for the mini review :) I appreciate it! I'll have to check out Laurell K. Hamilton. I'm gonna keep this one on my wish list and think about it. As we all do, I purchase too much stuff when I get into a new "phase".. so I'll wait a little bit and see if it still calls.... The things you said definitely made me think about the cards in a different way (the blood part).. thanks!

Darla	27 Oct 2004
Dolphinprincess, you HAVE to read Laurell K. Hamilton's Vampire books! They are incredible! I'm just reading the tenth in the series "Narcissus in Chains". Believe me, it just gets better and better. I wasn't so keen on the first book but do yourself a favour and check the whole series out. Ok, back to Tarot. :) I would also say that it goes better with Laurell K. Hamilton's world. Anne Rice's vampires are more romantic. But to me it still feels different. The vampires in this deck make the overall impression that they don't like being vampires, that they are damned. Sometimes this unnerves me a bit because it can reflect in the reading but that's about all the quarrel I have with it. :) I would describe the Gothic Vampires definetely as a working deck. It gives the most deep, personal and revealing readings if you can relate to the vampire myth. Otherwise you would probably describe it as an art deck. With the help of this deck you can learn a lot about yourself and see your problems from a different angle. Lately I've been finding myself to use this deck quite often. It's hard to describe what kind of problems or questions I use it for. Always personal stuff which is very important to me. Most times things that really bother me and make me kind of desperate. It may sound stupid but if I'm having a real problem this deck gives me the feeling of being sheltered in the dark. Does that make any sense? A light deck couldn't give me the help I need because it's on another level. For example, at the moment I'm going through a hard and stressful time and for daily card draws I'm using the Witchy Tarot. Could it be any more fluffy bunny? ;) But it never fails to cheer me up. But if I really need advice, a solution to my problems I need to go deeper to connect with a deck that reflects the state I'm in. And that is where I'm using the Tarot of Gothic Vampires. I hope I was able to help you a bit with your decision. And whatever you do, don't miss those books!!! })

dolphinprincess	27 Oct 2004
Hi Darla- I really enjoyed reading your take on this deck. Thank you!!! I checked out some of the Laurell K. Hamilton books on Amazon. They do look really good - but definitley seem like a different feel than the Anne Rice series. I think I now have a better understanding on the overall theme of the cards too.... Maybe I'll check out one of those books to see how I like this 'view' of vampires.... Part of what I like about the Anne Rice books is that they are somewhat romanticied. It will be interesting to read Hamilton's.... (Although, I'd like to get a few more Rice books under my belt too for comparison).. I appreciate the input! .... I suppose if I wind up with the deck and don't like it, I can always trade it or sell it (it defiitely will not be a first :l ) But it surely would be different from anything else I own (owned)...

Darla	28 Oct 2004
Glad I could help. :) (Oh my God, I just realized how many typing errors I made in the last post and edited it. Well, it was late last night. ;)) So far, I have only read "Interview with the Vampire" and "The Vampire Lestat" of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. I really liked them a lot but Laurell K. Hamilton's books are still more fascinating for me. Which A.R. books have you read so far?

souljourney	16 Dec 2004
I am not a real fan of Anne Rice, but I LOVE Laurell K. Hamilton!! She also romantizes vampires...especially after the first couple of books. They take many different forms though. Ok, question...I have been becoming drawn to these type of decks. I've seen the entire study group thread on Gothic Tarot by Vargo. I'm considering it or Gothic Tarot of Vampires. How is the LWB that comes with them?...they seem so different I'm thinking some help might be needed now and again. I like the colorful artwork of this one, but the other is appealing too. Are they really different to read? I guess mostly you use them for yourself or specific friends...since these might freak out too many people. Any comparisons or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I think I really can only afford to get one. I'm having a hard enough time controling my spending since joining AT. Oh, and I'm pretty new at tarot if that makes any difference in recommendation Thanks for any advice. SJ

Lolith	17 Dec 2004
From the moment I saw this deck I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. Last night I even had a dream that revolved around the deck :) I'm torn between this one and a few others, but I'm heavily leaning towards this deck. Does anyone know of a site that shows more of the cards than what is on this site? I've tried searching the net, but haven't been able to come up with much. I'd really like to see more of this deck.

Cerulean	17 Dec 2004
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/gothic-vampires/index.shtml on the above right side of the screen, if you go to the Tarotgarden.com site, you will see more images. Another review: http://tarotpassages.com/gothicvamp-lb.htm That gives another side. Hope that helps. Cerulean

Lolith	17 Dec 2004
Ooooh, thanks.

L'Etoile	18 Dec 2004
I got this deck at border's and I really like it. It is a bit hard to read with and the pictures can be a bit graphic at times, but I like how different it is. You'll see. It's good; I like it.

Lolith	18 Dec 2004
Tomorrow I'm heading over to the local new age store, and I'm going to look for this deck. I need to have it. It just seems to speak to me.....it's kind of creepy, but in a good way.

souljourney	18 Dec 2004
Yeah, I'm getting really drawn to this deck and Gothic by Vargo also. I know they'll be different to read with, and I don't know if I'm really that ready but I just have this want to have them. Even if don't really study them for a bit. Does that make sense? Saw more pictures and have heard the LWB is about 12 pages of English. Sooo not much info at all. Too bad. And no study group here. Vargo's has a study group that's actually completed the whole deck...so lots of extra "help" if needed. *sigh*...I'm still torn and my wishlist keeps growing. SJ

annik	18 Dec 2004
I have them both. I like both for different reasons. Each have interesting characteristic. I am thinking of studying a bit the gothic vampire and see the difference with the Vargo.

Ariana	28 Dec 2004
I just bought this deck today. Incredible! I could find it here in a store in Buenos Aires! I went there to see which new tarot deck I could buy, and there it was on the shelf "looking at me". Of course I liked it, I had seen it on the internet, and it was one of the tarot decks I wanted to buy. So, to find it today here in a store was a surprise for me. It seems Buenos Aires is opening slowly to "modern tarot decks". Well, I introduce myself to this deck, as I do with all of them when they arrive home and pull one card to get their first message for me. While I was shuffling it the Ace of Rods fell out of the deck. I went on shuffling, cut it in 3 piles, put it back in one. Turn the first card on the pile and guess which card was it?...... Yes! The Ace of Rods. First sensation I got from this deck: "I am not here for any reading, I am very deep and passionate, keep me for yourself".

souljourney	03 Jan 2005
This is one of the decks I got for Yule gifts!!! Yeah!!! I seemed to get the same message as Arianna... it`s more of a keep it for myself deck. The person who gave it to me seems to really understand it too...so I think I could read for her also. It is very different. I love it. I also feel I`m not quite ready to go down the rabbit hole with this one just yet. I want to get a more solid base of tarot in general first. I certainly think a study group would be a big help with this deck.

Ceit	04 Jan 2005
Hi! I am new here, well I have lurked for a while but wanted to say thanks for the great information about tarot. I just gotThe Gothic Tarot of Vampires at Christmas. I was surprised to see them at my local Borders-- so I couldn't help but to buy them. I have been trying to find them for the past few months, they have been either out of stock or they would just take too long to get. I have to say that I love the cards. I love the Fool card and the Queen of Pentacles. I think these are two of my favorite cards of the deck. Although it does have a darker theme the cards seem to call me. I love darker cards and have the Gothic Tarot by Joseph Vargo. Okay-I decided to use the "Gothic Tarot of Vampires." Yup, my new tarot cards. I took them out of the box and studied them. The first thing that I noticed was the Major Arcana cards didn't have names on them, instead it used the roman numeral system. Now, they don't follow the standard and change up a bit. The cards didn't reflect "the Empress" or the traditional image of Tarot cards. The meanings of the cards are instead shown. It takes a little to get use too. I liked what the designer of the cards said: "In the Vampire Tarot, the Metaphor is understood as the symbolic parallel between the Vampire and the man… The Vampire's thirst is therefore a metaphor for the insatiable greed of man. His supernatural power is a metaphor for human power. His passions and loves are also for human nature, just as his loneliness. The power and extraordinary charm of the vampire icon come from the easiness of this parallel and therefore from how easy it is for each man or woman to identify with the vampire. It would be a mistake, however, to think that the vampire reflects only the dark side of man. There is undoubtedly a dark side in each of us that contains all of our fears and weaknesses. The vampire, however, also possesses a strong and radiant side in which human nature is reflected in the same way. In him, light and darkness are magnified, are more visible, evident, and clearer. And yet, after all they are still mirrors of our human nature…." Again, I wanted to test the cards, so I asked them the question that I asked earlier from the Secret Tarot cards. I shuffled and picked my Seven Cards, while thinking of my question. (Although I think I emphasized on my new love a little more than about the relationship this time. Invoking his name as I shuffled.) The cards seem to resonate the same "message" as the Secret Tarot had given me earlier that night. I haven't used them since because I wanted to study them a little more to get a feel from them. Thanks for reading! Ceit

Fudugazi	17 Apr 2005
I have had this Tarot for three days now. I am blown away by its imagery - bloody, seductive, detailed - I love the sketchy feel of some of the cards. This is comics drawing at its best - and it does fit very well in such a Tarot. I did one PM reading with it - not yet received feedback, so I don't know how it went. But coincidentally, the night before I received it I had a very bloody dream about a friend of mine committing suicide by slitting his arterial veins. I have started to explore that dream and its mythological aspects in another thread (Epona's Wild Daughter), but I did a reading about the whole nightmare with the Gothic Tarot of Vampires, which seemed tailor-made for such an occasion. A very strong reading, though I have yet to understand it all. For all sorts of reasons in my past and present life, blood, sacrifice, vampirism, are very much on my mind. I understand what Umbrae says when he talks about self-exploration. I'm at the beginning of my discovery of this tarot, but I can see that it touches upon some ancient mytho-sexual parts of the human mind, and also on our deep fear of becoming once again the prey of wild beasts - and worse: of those that look like us - so awakening dark memories of human sacrifice. I am reminded of Rwanda, somehow. And of wars. All wars have a sacrificial element, a hunter-prey element, greed and action beyond common ethics, a sexual element - this one is deeply disturbing but an integral part of war; a spiritual element too - and the search for redemption in battle. I spent 5 years in war: but only now am I beginning to bring out what it evoked in me - and to explore it. Gothic Tarot of Vampires is one way I think I will use.

The Gothic Tarot of Vampires thread was originally posted on 09 Apr 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.